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International Volleyball

ASIAN WINNERS KUANYSH OF KAZAKHSTAN SUCCUMB TO 0-3 LOSS TO BRAZIL’S GERDAU MINAS TO CRASH OUT OF WOMEN’S CLUB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

ASIAN WINNERS KUANYSH OF KAZAKHSTAN SUCCUMB TO 0-3 LOSS TO BRAZIL’S GERDAU MINAS TO CRASH OUT OF WOMEN’S CLUB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

In a direct duel for the second place in Pool B at the FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship 2022 in the Turkish city of Antalya on Friday, Gerdau Minas of Belo Horizonte, Brazil managed a 3-0 (25-14, 25-13, 25-20) victory over Kuanysh Club of Petropavl, Kazakhstan to claim the last vacancy in Saturday’s semifinals. At 16:30 local time (13:30 UTC), they will take on Italy’s Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano, who secured the first place in Pool A with a 3-1 (25-18, 21-25, 25-22, 25-18) win in the head-to-head encounter with hosts Eczacibasi Dynavit Istanbul. Second-placed Eczacibasi will challenge city rivals and defending champions VakifBank Spor Kulubu in an all-Turkish semifinal clash at 20:00 (17:00).

Watch all the matches at the Club World Champs live or on demand on Volleyball TV.

Imoco’s Swedish opposite Isabelle Haak and her Serbian counterpart and captain on Eczacibasi’s side Tijana Boskovic engaged in a fierce scoring race, with Haak producing the match high of 26 points, including two aces and three blocks. Boskovic finished with 22 points, including two blocks and an ace. In the first match of the tournament that was pushed beyond three sets, the Panthers’ blocking contributed 11 stuffs against only three for the Tigers. The serving also made a big difference with Imoco piling up seven aces against two for the home side.

Haak hammered the first point of the match and backed it up with an ace for 2-0. Haak again crowned a four-point Imoco series with a monster block for 10-5. With the Swedish star on fire with eight points, the Italian team completely dominated the rest of the set to break away by a huge margin. American outside hitter Kelsey Robinson brought in set point at 24-14, but Eczacibasi managed to deny it four times before Robinson herself finally converted it to a 25-18 win.

Eczacibasi stormed into the second set on a 5-1 run. Moments later, a four-point streak, highlighted by a Boskovic ace, extended the Tigers’ lead to 9-3. Assisted by outside Hande Baladin, the Serbian opposite kept the fire burning in offence, while Imoco’s attempts at a comeback only brought them to within a point. Another three points in a row pushed Eczacibasi to a 24-20 set point, converted with a swing by middle blocker Sinead Jack of Trinidad and Tobago for 25-21.

An ace by US outside Kathryn Plummer put the finishing touch to a six-point Imoco run to open a 12-5 gap in the third set. Increasing the pressure with their middles,…

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